Outcome of hyperplastic persistent pupillary membrane.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the long-term visual outcome of eyes with hyperplastic persistent pupillary membrane.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We adopted a retrospective approach involving 39 eyes of 24 Korean patients diagnosed as having hyperplastic persistent pupillary membrane, excluding patients who could not be observed beyond 3 years of age and eyes that had any other ocular anomalies that affect vision. Final best-corrected visual acuity and refractive status were compared according to treatment type and laterality. Mean visual acuity was transformed to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR).

RESULTS

The mean final best-corrected visual acuity was 0.32 (standard deviation, +/- 0.41). Five eyes had a best-corrected visual acuity less than 20/70 at the last follow-up. Four eyes were unilateral (deprivation amblyopia) and one eye was bilateral (anisometropic amblyopia). There were no significant differences in final best-corrected visual acuity according to treatment type or laterality. Significant anisometropia was found in 11 of the 24 patients. The mean absolute value of anisometropia was greater in the surgical treatment group than in the medical treatment and observation groups (P = .048).

CONCLUSIONS

The visual prognoses for individuals with hyperplastic persistent pupillary membrane can be relatively good if the condition is appropriately managed. Unilaterality and poor initial visual acuity are indicators of a poor visual outcome. Surgery is effective when the opaque membrane retards visual maturation. Close follow-up with evaluation of visual acuity and refractive status is mandatory because this condition can lead to deprivation amblyopia and anisometropic amblyopia.